Eligible Students: Must be in fifth grade or its equivalent
Title of Essay: “What My Mother Means to Me”
Time Frame:
- August 15: Contest Opens
- December 15 at 11:59 PT: Last day for essays to be submitted electronically via americanmothers.org
- March 1: State Winners and National Winner Announced
Requirements: Please be careful to follow all rules as non-compliant essays will be disqualified.
- Essay must be child’s own work and handwritten on one side of an 8.5 x 11 piece of lined,wide ruled paper.
- Must have at least a 1-inch margin all around
- Must be 150 words or less (not including title)
- May not have name of writer or writer’s mother on the essay page (only on the entry form).
- Entrants may use a dictionary, but the essay must be the student's own work.
- Entry information and release must be completed online with submission of the essay.
Judged on:
- Content and focus — How well the essay tells the reader about the writer’s mother.
- Organization of essay — How well the story flows.
- Word choice and style — How creatively and well words are used.
- Sentence fluency — How well the writer says exactly what is intended. Does the essay engage the reader and advance the idea?
- Mechanics — Obey rules of writing, spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Judged by: Entries received from a state with an active American Mothers, Inc. association will be judged by a panel of representatives in that state. Entries received from a state where there is not an active association will be judged by a panel of representatives from across the country. National judges select the national winner from state-winning entries. National judges may disqualify state winners based on failure to comply with criteria listed above. Decision of the judges is final.
Winners: All state winners will receive a certificate from the National Office in Washington, DC. State associations of American Mothers, Inc. may elect to honor the winner from their state with a ceremony or award. The National winner will be invited to read their essay at the American Mothers National Convention in the Spring. They will also select a 501(c)(3) organization that benefits mothers and/or children. American Mothers will award this nonprofit organization a $500 Golden Rule Grant in honor of the winner.
For more information about American Mothers, Inc.®visit AmericanMothers.org